The Prelude (A Musical Interlude Novel) - By Kasonndra Leigh Page 0,33
adopted me in a big sister-mentor kind of way, decided to tag along after I mentioned where I was going.
We wind up exploring both the Galleria and the Piazza del Duomo, another historic shopping area in central Milan. Hagar has more patience with our ventures than me. He obediently drives us back and forth between the two plazas more times than I can count.
Eventually, we find the perfect shade of crimson colored silk in a fabric shop called Galtrucco. With two floors of both no-name and designer fabrics, a girl like me could easily lose herself all day in such a place.
“So, the real reason you’ve chosen to stick with me today is…?” I ask Adriana and wait for her to fill me in.
“My brother told me to make sure you don’t work yourself to death.” She glances around, her long, dark ponytail flapping back and forth.
“Did he now? This from the man who invented the term workaholic?” I answer as we walk into a coffee shop.
“He talks about you a lot more than you might think.” She tilts her head and gives me a knowing look, one that says she’s doing her best to try and hold back her smile. I narrow my eyes. A picture forms in my head.
I mean, sure, Alek probably did send her over to check up on me. He has this bossy, borderline alpha-male thing going on. Well, he is a maestro. It must be hard to run an ensemble filled with almost a hundred different attitudes. And I have to admit that I truly admire what he does.
But I’ve also experienced his possessiveness and another passionate side of him as well. That’s the one he hides behind the mega-playboy persona. It’s also the one I’m most afraid of getting used to having around me. I glance over at Adriana, narrowing my eyes. I want to ask her about his tattoo, but decide against it.
“What?” Adriana asks. She has the largest eyes I think I’ve ever seen. Her pretty sapphire blue color stands out when she turns up the volume on you this way.
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You’re still thinking I’m Alek’s spy. I can tell,” she says and gives me an amused side glance. “But really, hanging out with you gives me time to stall.”
“Oh? Has Alek been slinging his whip at you again?” I ask jokingly.
“No, but Mother has this creepy male friend who recently moved here. He’s always staring at me.” She shakes her little body out and makes a disgusted face. I appreciate her animations, her liveliness, everything I’m not and probably never will be.
“I can’t imagine Katerina dealing with anything or anyone who’s less than perfect. That includes creepy people,” I say, sipping my macchiato.
“You’re still kind of mad about what happened at dinner, aren’t you?” she asks.
“Not really. I just don’t get why I was suddenly made out to be the dark nun, or something,” I answer.
“Come on, Erin.” She makes a light laugh. “You’re so sharp when it comes to designs and things. I bet the manager of Gucci is sweating like crazy because he’s so nervous about what you’re doing with Black Butterfly. I hate to say this, but you absolutely suck when it comes to understanding men. Mother sees that my brother has a thing for you. I can see it too. The only blind person in this dance is…Erin.” She pokes her lips out like a fish and makes weird kissing noises. It still doesn’t make me feel any better about the way Katerina treated me, either.
“That’s not true,” I answer.
“Because you don’t want it to be.”
“Okay, Mom. Thanks for the heads up. But no thanks at the same time. Subject change please.”
Adriana slumps a bit and then says, “Well, you’re coming to my show tomorrow night, right?”
“Are you kidding me? I’d have to murder Luca and Carla both if we missed that show.”
She throws her arms around me. “Thanks so much, Erin. You totally rock.”
I don’t ask what she means. But it’s nice to have someone around who reminds me of what it used to be like when I had a sister.
* * *
Adriana makes a gorgeous mermaid. And her talents as a ballerina rivals even the most accomplished dancers. I sit mesmerized by her portrayal of Seraphine, a choreographed version of a fantasy where a mermaid girl falls in love with a human boy. In the end, the girl winds up using her powers to save the boy’s life. The show comes